Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु भीमेन हनूमान्‌ प्लवगोत्तम: । प्रत्युवाच ततो वाक्य स्निग्धगम्भीरया गिरा,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! भीमके ऐसा कहनेपर कपिश्रेष्ठ हनुमानजीने स्नेहयुक्त गम्भीर वाणीमें इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया--

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca evam uktas tu bhīmena hanūmān plavagottamaḥ | pratyuvāca tato vākyaṁ snigdha-gambhīrayā girā ||

Translation

ไวศัมปายนะกล่าวว่า—โอ้ชนเมชัย! เมื่อภีมะกล่าวดังนั้นแล้ว หนุมานผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่วานร จึงตอบด้วยถ้อยคำที่อ่อนโยนแต่หนักแน่น

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been spoken to / addressed

तुbut/indeed

भीमेनby Bhīma

हनूमान्Hanumān

प्लवग-उत्तमःthe best of monkeys

प्रत्युवाचreplied

ततःthen/thereupon

वाक्यम्words / a statement

स्निग्ध-गम्भीरयाwith affectionate and deep

गिराspeech/voice

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīma

Hanūmān

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ideal mode of response: even when addressed by a powerful warrior like Bhīma, Hanūmān answers with affectionate gravity—suggesting that true strength expresses itself through measured, compassionate, and thoughtful speech.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates to Janamejaya that after Bhīma speaks, Hanūmān—described as the foremost of monkeys—begins his reply, characterized by a warm yet profound tone, introducing the forthcoming instruction or guidance.